PRESS RELEASE: Children in the hands of Europe. Trafficking of migrant and refugee children around the Mediterranean

Today Child10 Award announces Children in the hands of Europe as the theme for 2020. Child10 are now looking for exceptionally bold individuals from the Mediterranean area who struggle to protect refugee and migrant children and prevent child trafficking, abuse and exploitation. For the first time, the nomination for the award is open for public and runs until May 15, 2019.

Thousands of children who are on the run to Europe are missing and become untraceable victims of trafficking. Especially the children who are unaccompanied, undocumented, unregistered or who disappear during the asylum process are at great risk of falling victim to child trafficking in begging, slave labor and sexual abuse. To combat the risk of trafficking the immediate response of the transit countries is crucial to keep track of children and prevent future exploitation and violations. The rapidly deteriorating conditions in migrant and refugee reception across the Mediterranean countries and the breakdown of the relocation of refugee children in Europe have created an extremely vulnerable situation for children.